


an inch too short, a second too late

by Chaotic_Neuteral



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Ghosts, Hurt No Comfort, Major Character Injury, Murder, Spoilers, idk man i hate tagging, well kind of comfort it's just... not good and doesn't help much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:36:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29836119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaotic_Neuteral/pseuds/Chaotic_Neuteral
Summary: -TommyInnit was slain by Dream-
Relationships: Sam | Awesamdude & TommyInnit, Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 84





	an inch too short, a second too late

**Author's Note:**

> this ones for rhea because they keep spamming the fic recs channel with angsty shit and it made my brain go brrr
> 
> (mostly just me practicing how to write character deaths so there's not much *angst* angst don't worry bout crying)

Waves of grief rolled through the area like aftershocks of an earthquake. Tommy's death was unexpected, so quiet compared to his brother's, and nobody had believed the news at first. But there was no denying how hollow Sam's eyes were as he recounted the story, tears in his voice, of sprinting through the prison, hoping and praying- and still being too late.

It hit hard to walk by Tommy's house, now decorated with swaths of color. Ranboo had been the first to place flowers on the ground, whispering apologies into the earth as he planted the little blooms. Soon after, more and more had shown up, along with written apologies and lit candles. At night his house glowed softly, flowers illuminated by torches set on the edges of the path.

Tubbo wandered aimlessly, refusing to believe the death was real. He and Tommy had been like brothers their whole lives, there was no possible way he was gone like that. Tubbo kept looking carefully around corners, as if he expected his best friend to come bounding out, the able sisters music playing from a little device in his pocket. But, of course, he never saw him.

Sam recounted the story only once, voice raw with emotion, to Karl. He had been wrapped in a blanket, sitting in his house, and told the story without ever once glancing in Karl's direction. "I- it was my fault," He whispered. "I knew he was scared of small spaces. I knew what Dream did to him in exile, I-" He took a deep shuddering breath. "Dream didn't have- he didn't have any weapons. He beat Tommy to death with his bare hands." Sam's grip up on the cup tightened. "He died thinking he was alone, trapped in a small space with his abuser, I- Karl, how did I think that was an okay thing to do to him?" 

When Sam turned to look, Karl's eyes were shining with tears. He cleared his throat. "Sam, it's not- it's not your fault. You didn't think he was going to die, none of us did. There was no way for you to-"

"I should've... considered, or- I could have- if I had just thought about what was happening instead of putting my stupid job first, then maybe- maybe he'd still be here. And Tubbo would stop waiting for him, and his house wouldn't be covered in flowers, and his fucking grave wouldn't be sitting outside the church. If I'd been a minute faster or a tiny bit smarter, I could've saved him. The sound of his scream when I didn't- when-" Sam broke off his sentence with a sob. 

Karl moved to sit next to him, slowly rubbing circles into his back. "I'm sorry." He took a deep breath and repeated the phrase. "I'm sorry."

There was truly nothing else to say.

***

When the emerald around his neck lit up with a bright flash of light, Techno's heart stopped in his chest. His head jerked up to look at Phil, who had a horrified expression as the light in his own emerald faded. Phil's face twisted into a look of pure grief, and he leaned forward, tears welling in his eyes. Techno just stared blankly into space. No, there- no. It wasn't possible.

Wilbur was already dead, and they were together, but Tommy... Tommy wasn't with them. The emeralds had been designed to light up if someone was fatally wounded. If one of the wearers died. And that had to mean...

But no, that wasn't possible, Tommy was- he was sixteen, for god's sake. They weren't in the middle of any war, and an accidental arrow to the heart would have left him revived as usual. This- this was his final death.

It wasn't as if death was a foreign concept to Technoblade. After all, he'd gotten his nickname - the Blood God - from somewhere. He had killed without hesitation or mercy, honing his skills til he was practically unbeatable in a fight. And he was even used to the deaths of family members. Wilbur's death had certainly shook his world for a short while, but his story was over, resolved.

Tommy? Tommy was different. There was no "right time" for such a horrific thing to happen to a sixteen year old, but there certainly was a worse time. Tommy had gone through the storm and came out kicking and screaming, almost as lively as the day he'd walked in unknowingly. Sure, some of the youthful sparkle in his eyes had dulled, but he was still impish and as loud as ever. 

Techno had sat there and watched his brother sob into his knees, curled up in a puddle of his own blood after huddling in Techno's basement for two weeks, living in paralyzing fear. He had seen Tommy bleeding, hurt, even dying. But he'd made it through. He'd seen the light at the end of the tunnel and he had reached it. Why now, after going through so much pain? Why only after he won? It was cruel timing.

Regular death didn't begin to compare. Techno had never been as close to Wilbur as his brothers always had been, he felt disconnected from them at times and turned to Phil instead. He'd seen how little light was left in Phil's eyes for weeks after Wilbur died, the only thing bringing him back from the edge of that dark cliff being his youngest son. But now, with Tommy gone? Who would pull him out of his own head? Techno certainly couldn't.

Maybe there would be a Ghost-Tommy. Maybe it would do more damage than good. He knew how Tommy had despised Ghostbur at the beginning, as the spirit was just a mean reminder of who he'd lost. Once Tommy had described him as "A mockery of Wilbur," swearing up and down he hated the ghost. He'd warmed up, of course, but things had never been the same between them. Alive-Wilbur and Ghostbur were two entirely different people, each charming in their own ways. Would Tommy's ghost be innocent and sweet, or would it just be Tommy?

Techno didn't know which he preferred.

He was snapped from his own thoughts when a cup was pressed into his hands. Techno blinked, coming back down to reality slowly. His eyes adjusted and he looked up to see Phil, holding a mug of his own. His cheeks were still tearstained and his eyes were still red, but he seemed slightly better. Techno couldn't help but feel guilty for making Phil get up and make tea to bring him back to reality, even if it wasn't on purpose.

"Sorry," he mumbled into the liquid. It burned going down, but it helped clear his mind. "Didn't mean to space out."

"It's alright, mate." Phil took a heavy seat next to him, not bothering to drink the tea. He set it down and sighed, lip quivering. "I'm- I don't know... I feel..."

"You don't have to feel anything just yet," Techno assured his father, knowing how Phil was feeling. "You're in shock. It'll set in sometime soon. In the meantime, don't beat yourself up." 

He sighed. "Thanks."

Techno stared into his cup, watching the murky drink swirl as he turned it this way and that. "No problem."

**Author's Note:**

> do i like it much? no. is it short? hell yeah. did i post it anyway because i feel bad about being so inconsistent with updates? ofc i did.


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